MERITS OF THE ZIYARAT OF IMAM HUSAIN (A)

We should know that the significance of the Ziarat of Imam (a.s.) is beyond explanation. It has come in many traditions that it is equal to Hajj, Umrah and Jihad, rather many grades above them. It is a cause of divine forgiveness, ease in accounting, elevation of grades, acceptance of supplications, long life span, safety of life and property, increase in sustenance, fulfillment of needs and removal of sorrow. To omit it, causes loss in the religion and faith and it is leaving one of the greatest rights of the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.). The least reward that a visitor of Imam Husain (a.s.) gets is that his sins are forgiven and Allah protects his life and property till he comes back to his family. And on the day of Judgement Allah would protect him more than he was protected in the world. Many traditions say that the Ziarat of Imam Husain (a.s.) removes sorrows, pain of death and the terror of the grave. Of the money spent on the Ziarat, each Dirham is considered equal to a thousand Dirhams, rather equal to 10000 Dirhams. And when the visitor turns towards the Shrine of Imam Husain (a.s.), 4000 angels welcome him and when he returns they follow him. Prophets, their legatees and the Holy Imams come for the Ziarat of Imam Husain (a.s.) and they all pray for the visitors. They convey to them the good news. The almighty Allah is more merciful to the visitors of the tomb of Imam Husain (a.s.) than He is to the people of Arafat. And people would wish on the day of Qiyamat that they had visited the grave of Imam Husain (a.s.) because on this day they would see the great status and greatness of Imam (a.s.). Many traditions have been recorded in this regard. We shall mention the merits of his Ziarat in the section on special Ziarat of Imam Husain (a.s.). Here we shall suffice with only one tradition. Ibne Quluwayh (r.a.) and Sayyid Ibne Taaoos (r.a.) etc. have narrated through reliable chains from the great authority of Muawiyah bin Wahab Bajali Kufi that he said: One day I went to Imam Jafar Sadiq (a.s.) and saw that he was busy with his prayers on his prayer mat. I sat down, when he completed his prayers he began to invocate Allah:

O Allah! You have chosen us for greatness and wonder acts and promised intercession to us and bestowed us the sciences of prophethood and made us the successors of the prophets and ended the past nations with us and made us the sole inheritors of the prophet's successorship and gave the knowledge of the past and the future and made the hearts of the people inclined towards us.

Forgive me, my brothers and the visitors to the grave of my forefather Al-Husain Ibne Ali (a.s.). That those who spent their money and were inclined to goodness; and in the hope of Your rewards and to please Your Prophet and for accepting our Wilayat, and make our foes distraught and taking their bodies they have come out of their towns. Their aim is only my pleasure. Then recompense them in exchange of our pleasure and protect them night and day. And be for their dependants, whom they have left behind in their homelands, a caretaker in their place. Be their best guard and companion, keep them safe from the mischief of every oppressor enemy and the Satans from among the jinns and men and every weak and strong creature. Due to their being far away from their hometowns and due to their preferring us instead of their families, bestow them more than what they hope for. O Allah! Our enemies have defamed them because of their coming out for our Ziarat but this should not be a barrier to their determination to go on Ziarat.

Thus have mercy on those faces that are changed by the sun, and have mercy on those cheeks who go to touch Imam Husain (a.s.). And have mercy on those eyes that weep in our sorrow and have mercy on those hearts that are sad due to our afflictions and have mercy on those entreaties that rise up in our tribulations. O Allah! I entrust these lives and bodies to You so that on the day of the thirst You may allow them to drink from the pool.

The Imam (a.s.) continued to invocate in the same manner in Sajdah. When he finished I asked: If you had prayed for such a person who does not recognize Allah I would have thought that the fire of Hell would not touch him, By Allah, I express the wish that I should have performed the Ziarat instead of the Hajj. Imam (a.s.) said:

Being near to Imam Husain, what stops you from his Ziarat? O Muawiyah! Do not leave Ziarat.

I said: May I be sacrificed on you, I did not know that the Ziarat was so meritorious. He (a.s.) said:

O Muawiyah, those who pray for the visitors on the earth, much more than these are those who pray for them in the heavens. O Muawiyah, do not leave the Ziarat of Imam Husain (a.s.) due to some fear because one who leaves the Ziarat due to someone's fear would be so regretful that he would wish that he had remained only near the grave of Imam Husain (a.s.) and be buried there. Do you not wish to be seen among those for whom Allah, the Prophet, Ali, Fatemah and the Imams pray? Do you not wish to be included among those, with whom the Angles would shake hands? Do you not like to be included among those who would arrive on the day of Qiyamat cleaned of all sins? Do you not like to be included among those who would shake hands with the Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) on the day of Qiyamat?